Twisted Cinders
by Mell8
Summary: Never anger a fairy because she might go find your true love, magic her a dress, and send her to a ball, and you might just like it! DG
1. Chapter 1

Twisted Cinders

By Mell8

--Never anger a fairy because she might go find your true love, magic her a dress, and send her to a ball; and you might just like it! D/G

This is a mix between the Disney version of the story, the original Grimm fairy tale, and my own embellishment. Enjoy!

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"Bloody hell!" Draco snarled and stomped out onto the flower-covered veranda. "There is absolutely no way I'm going to throw a ball in order to find a pure-blooded bride." He kicked over a flowerpot and snarled as dirt and chrysanthemums spilled across his dragon hide boots.

Draco had been betrothed to Pansy Parkinson since he was three. They had grown up together and Draco had soon learned to tolerate her. True, if he had been given the decision Draco never would have chosen her, but theirs wouldn't have been a terrible marriage.

But then she had been outed as a spy—had sacrificed herself in order to save him—and the Dark Lord had killed her. After Pansy's death McGonagall had pulled him out of the Death Eater camps to protect him until the war ended.

Now he was twenty-five and his mother wanted grandchildren. Draco was single and was enjoying his current bachelor status immensely. He was not looking forward to any of the balls his mother was throwing. He would have to dance and play nice with women who were only there for his money; it was enough to make him wish that Pansy had not confessed that the message intercepted from that blasted owl had been from her, when it had truly been written by Draco.

Draco growled and kicked over another flowerpot. The flowers shrieked but he stomped past anyway.

"Shut the bloody hell up!" He hissed and knocked the flowerpot with his heel as he stalked past.

III

How dare that human boy! Edessa picked herself up off the ground and brushed dirt and pollen off her purple lily petal dress. This wasn't the first time he had done something like this. Just last week he thrown a tantrum and had picked up and violently thrown a vase she had been exploring. The subsequent destruction had broken one of her wings and a sharp piece of pottery had cut a huge slice in her expensive aspen leaf dress!

Something had to be done to make that boy pay. Edessa tossed her long blond hair over her shoulder and behind her wings before taking to the air. What the horrible boy needed was a woman who would not be afraid to smack him when he was a terror and would run interference between the brat and his snobby mother.

Edessa needed to find his true love…

III

"Mop the floors, Ginny; get rid of the gnomes, Ginny; set the table for supper, Ginny." Ginny sighed and collapsed on the bench in the garden. She was the only one of her siblings still living in the Burrow but was starting to think that it was time to find her own place. All the chores that she used to share with her brothers fell in her lap and as her mother was getting on in years and as Ginny didn't have anything better to do when she was home from work, she did them.

Still, it was rather annoying to be treated like she was still a pre-Hogwarts child rather than as a successful Healer with her own department in St. Mungo's. After the war had ended Ginny breezed through her O.W.L.'s and then her N.E.W.T.'s and was accepted with top marks into the Healer academy with the assurance that once she finished school she would be given a job at St. Mungo's.

Ginny had enough money to afford a small flat in Wizarding London and was thinking that it would be prudent to have a look at any that were for sale after work tomorrow.

"Ginny, dear!" Molly Weasley called out the back door into the garden Ginny had just finished de-gnoming. "You've gotten a letter. Come inside and open it."

"Coming Mum!" Ginny yelled back. She levered herself to her feet and grumbled as her back cracked angrily. "I'm too old to be running around after gnomes after a long day at work," she griped under her breath. "Why can't Mum just get some of her grandbabies to come visit and deal with the little pests themselves? Bill and Fleur have three kids and Ron and Hermione have two; more than enough to deal with the gnomes."

"There you are Ginny!" Molly bustled over and handed Ginny her letter. Ginny blinked in surprise as she looked down at the crisp, expensive paper and the gold writing with her name on it. She grabbed the letter opener from the odds-and-ends drawer and carefully cut through the binding.

"Dear Miss Weasley," Ginny read aloud so her Mum could hear.

"You are cordially invited to attend the twenty-fifth birthday ball of Mr. Draco Malfoy on the Fifth of June of this happy year. Please arrive around six in formal attire.

Narcissa Malfoy nee Black."

"Absolutely not!" Molly Weasley hissed the second Ginny turned to look at her mother. "I will not have my baby girl prancing around in Malfoy Manor like a trussed up doll!" She stomped over to her shocked daughter, grabbed the letter out of her hands, and threw it on the wood waiting to be lit for their evening fire.

"But Mum," Ginny began imploringly, "it could be fun."

"NO!" Molly spun around with an angry glare on her face and one of her largest kitchen knives held firmly in her hand. She turned back around and began to vent her frustration on the potatoes she was dicing for their supper.

Ginny sighed and walked out of the room. The letter zipped from the fireplace into her hands and Ginny quickly hid it and her wand back in her robes before heading up the stairs.

It would certainly be interesting to attend a ball held by the Malfoys. Ginny knew that it would be fun but was under no illusions; this was another cleverly disguised way for the Malfoy matriarch to force her son into a committed, permanent, relationship. Nor was she blind to the fact that if she did attend, Malfoy would have the perfect opportunity to belittle her about her financial situation and her Weasley status.

Still, aside from that and the fact that she did not have enough galleons to afford a dress that would be appropriate for such a fancy gathering, it would be fun. Surely someone else would be there whom she could talk with. And it would be a chance to get out of the house for a night. If only her mother would agree.

Ginny pushed open her window and leaned over the sill with a sad sigh. Even if she were to sneak out that night she would never be able to sneak a dress into the house under Molly's sharp eyes.

"I want to go to the ball," Ginny whispered into the wind.

III

"I want to go to the ball."

Edessa smiled. That was her—the girl who Draco would fall hopelessly in love with. She flitted down to where the pretty redhead was leaning in the window, fluffed her hair, straightened her dress and put on her best smile.

"I might be able to help you with that." The fairy said softly.

The girl jumped and looked about wildly before catching her eyes on the tiny fairy.

"What do you mean?" She asked in a shocked voice. It was apparent that she had never seen a fairy before.

"I can give you a spell that will help you get a dress and matching slippers. Then you can go to the ball." Edessa did her best to look harmless but the girl was not fooled.

"What do you get out of this," she asked.

Edessa could not stop a wince from slicing across her face and the girl did not miss her reaction.

"Fine," Edessa sighed. "A couple days ago I was flitting through the Malfoy halls looking for something shiny for my hair and had fallen inside a vase. The Malfoy boy threw the vase when he was having a tantrum and he hurt my wing and _ruined_ my dress! Then yesterday he kicked over the flowerpot I was sleeping in and got this horrible stain on my skirt! So I'm getting revenge on the brat." Edessa fluffed her pink rose petal gown in irritation.

"What sort of revenge?" The girl looked interested!

"Well," Edessa hedged. "He's not terribly pleased that his mother is forcing him to hold this ball so I'm making sure that…certain…people attend to make him even more miserable." Obviously she could not tell the girl the entire truth that Draco Malfoy was going to fall head over tail in love with the girl, as that would scare her away. Still, it was not exactly a lie, merely an abbreviated version of the truth.

"I'd be willing to help you with that," the girl said with a cold smirk on her face. "I would do almost anything to ensure that he's miserable. And, of course, to get him back for ruining your dresses."

Edessa smiled. "Alright! Here." She held out a planter that was big for her tiny hands but miniscule for Ginny's. "This is a branch from a magical hazel bush. You have to enlarge it with your magic!" She added at the girl's incredulous look. "Once you get it bigger say these words, 'Shiver and quiver, my little tree, silver and gold throw down over me.' Of course the colors don't really matter but the rest you must get perfect."

Edessa watched at the girl mouthed the words to memorize them before handing over the precious tree.

"Thank you very much," the girl said with a wink. "If you come back I'll tell you all about Malfoy's pain."

Edessa laughed. Draco Malfoy would never know what hit him once this girl was through with him.

"That will not be necessary," the fairy said with a smirk. "I will be there watching the entire time."

III

The day of the ball arrived quickly and Ginny found that she was a little nervous, both to be using the tree (she couldn't see it's brain and didn't want another diary mishap), and to be attending a Malfoy ball under her mother's nose.

She had pretended to have a head cold when she arrived home from St. Mungo's and had therefore deftly avoided her mother for the remainder of the night. Molly Weasley insisted on bed rest for anyone with a cold and had been appalled that Ginny had stayed her entire shift at work when she was feeling ill.

Ginny pulled her courage out to the forefront and pulled the tiny tree out of it's hiding place. With a quick wave of her wand she took off the shrinking spell.

"Shiver and quiver, my little tree, silver and gold throw down over me." Ginny chanted dutifully. Suddenly a dress floated down from midair with matching slippers neatly placed on top.

Ginny took a long, luxurious shower (something else her mother smiled upon when you were feeling sick), before going to the dress. It had a heart shaped, low cut but modestly so, front, had a long, sweeping skirt and elegant embroidery. Most of the dress was gold with the silver accenting and softening the hard color.

Ginny slipped the dress on over her head reverently and sighed as the silk caressed her lithe form. It was a perfect fit. The gold color brought out the sun-kissed golden highlights in her hair but the combination of the gold and silver washed out her skin and made her freckles stand out. Ginny spun around in front of her mirror and sighed happily. Even with every freckle blatantly visible she still looked quite pretty in the dress.

A quick spell dried and styled her hair into an elegant up-do that flattered the dress and a make-up charm lightly rouged her cheeks, darkened her lashes, and put a light shimmer of gold color onto her lips.

Ginny put on the slippers last, grabbed a small purse to hold the invitation, and pulled a light, long black dress cloak out of her closet. She had bought the cloak instead of going house shopping because she knew it would be odd to arrive without a proper cloak; not to mention it was a fashion no-no.

There was a soft pop and Ginny vanished from her room at the Burrow.

III

A.N. This is going to be a short two or three chapter installment that I really hope is original and that everyone likes.

Pertaining to the rest of my stories for anyone who is wondering: I am recovering from hard drive failure on my laptop and have lost _everything_ including past and future chapters from all my fanfiction. I am currently scrambling to a) invest in an external hard drive so I do not lose anything if this happens again in the future, b) copy all of my old chapters off of this site and save them back onto my computer and, c) rewrite all the chapters that I had written for two new stories I am planning as well as all the stories I already have posted but have not finished. As this is in addition to dealing with all the schoolwork I've also lost, this is going to take a while.

Please look at my profile for further information!

This little story popped into my head during my Medieval History course the other night and I thought that posting it would make me feel better about losing so much and would hopefully tide my readers over until I rewrite my lost chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

Twisted Cinders- chapter two

By Mell8

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"Now that's a country bumpkin if I ever saw one…" Blaise Zabini leaned over Draco and pointed towards the top of the long marble staircase. A short, red haired girl in a beautiful gold and silver dress had just walked through the door and was staring, openmouthed, around at the opulent room.

"You may be right," Draco answered with a smirk. "But she's a damned hot country bumpkin."

"You gonna go after her then?" Blaise lifted a dark eyebrow and smirked back.

Draco looked around the room and scowled as dozens of girls put on their best sexy looks as his glance grazed them.

"She's probably the only girl here who won't start drooling the second I start speaking with her and if I don't dance with a girl soon my mother will have a conniption." Draco sighed and stood up from his seat.

"Better you than me, mate." Blaise clapped him on his back. "I'd rather remain a bachelor for a few more years. Go help her down those stairs before she falls. I think this is the first time she's ever worn a dress! I wonder who she is…?"

"I have no idea. My mother sent out the invitations." Draco grumbled but complied with Blaise's directions.

He walked up the stairs to meet her, offered his arm, and helped her glide down the long stairs.

She was beautiful up close. She had milky white skin with the only blemishes being her freckles. The dress fit her well and showed off her breasts and tiny waist to his approval. But the best part was that she had an annoyed look on her face when he walked up to her and she only took his arm out of politeness. She didn't give him a sultry look that screamed, 'I want your money,' nor did she latch onto his arm without the intent to let go.

"What brings you to my ball, Little Red?" Draco asked her with genuine curiosity. There had to be a reason she was here…maybe to steal the silver?

She shot him an acidic look. "I came to enjoy the expensive food and to watch you make a fool out of yourself."

He looked taken aback, both at her tone and her words. "Mademoiselle, I assure you that I have never made a fool out of myself in my entire life."

She laughed. The woman actually laughed at him! "I am very sure that you've made a fool out of yourself multiple times. I've…" she paused and seemed to think about her words for a moment, "heard stories," she finished with a smirk. "Isn't that right, ferret?"

Draco dropped her arm and turned to glare at her. "I don't know how you know about that but…" he growled. "Just don't steal the silver, Little Red." He left in a huff followed by her shocked gasp and amused laughter.

III

Edessa frowned. This was not going as planned, not at all! It was supposed to be love at first sight, not extreme animosity.

She smoothed tiny hands down her dress, gold and silver to match the girl's, and sighed. Maybe the boy was just being obstinate?

Or maybe the girl was doing too good a job hacking him off?

Edessa sat down on the edge of the punch bowl and grumbled to herself. There had to be something she could do but she couldn't think of anything. Maybe as the night wore on something that she could do would become apparent.

III

Ginny had to admit that Malfoy had certainly grown into a handsome man since his years at Hogwarts. His time spent as an Order of the Phoenix spy in the Death Eater ranks had gotten rid of his baby fat and had given him muscle definition. Over the years he had kept up with his body so the Muggle tuxedo he was wearing looked delicious.

Not that Ginny was noticing; he was still a Malfoy after all.

She dodged couples waltzing on the floor on her way to the buffet table and sighed. There were hundreds of girls and a third that many boys. That meant that there was absolutely no chance that she would be asked to dance. She might as well enjoy the food and the lush décor.

Ginny piled her gold-veined plate with a small selection of hors d'oeuvres and felt a burning feeling on her back from being stared at. She turned and saw Malfoy glaring at her from across the room so she waggled her silver fork at him and left to find a table.

"Steal the silver," she huffed. "That ingrate. Who would say that to a woman?"

The equally gorgeous, dark skinned boy began laughing uproariously at Malfoy's side.

III

"You're the one who told her not to steal the silver," Blaise said between chuckles. "If you don't go ask her to dance I just might. She seems lively enough and is probably a spitfire in bed."

At Draco's incredulous look Blaise smirked and continued. "Look at her body mate, she's gorgeous. Go dance with her, she also looks lonely," Blaise added as he watched her sigh wistfully at the twirling dancers.

"Fine," Draco quipped. "But if she steps on my toes you're buying me a foot massage and a new pair of shoes."

"Okay," Blaise nodded. "Now go!"

Draco grumbled but walked over to the girl for the second time that night.

"Blaise says I have to dance with you, Little Red," Draco said once he was standing behind her. She whipped around in surprise, having been too entranced with the dancers to notice him coming up behind her.

"Is he the one making lewd gestures over by the alcohol bar?" She asked once she had regained her composure.

Draco looked over to where she pointed and groaned. "Yeah, that's him," he shook his head. "And he's not even drunk," he added under his breath.

She giggled, a tiny ringing sound that made Draco smile inwardly, and stood from her seat.

"Well then, to get your friend to stop embarrassing you I guess I can dance at least once with you." She placed her small hand in his and led him out to the dance floor.

She was a very good dancer, Draco thought as they skillfully twirled across the floor. And Blaise was right, he added in his head, she does have a good body.

"So Malfoy," she said in a slightly out of breath voice from all the dancing. "What do you do with your life aside from throw tantrums?"

"What?" Draco snapped coldly. "I never!"

She laughed again. "Just like you never do anything embarrassing, I know. Seriously though, I've heard from a first hand source that you throw vases and purposely knock over flowerpots when you're angry. It's a horrid habit."

Draco sniffed and turned his head away from her piercing glance even as he dipped her for the end of the song.

"I work in the Ministry, a desk job doing intercession between the Department of Mysteries and the rest of the Departments. What do you do?"

She lifted a perfectly shaped brow. "A desk job?" she asked sarcastically. "I would've pegged you as a good-for-nothing living off his inheritance."

They started to glide to a second song.

Draco scowled at her superior look. "I thought about it," he finally admitted. "After the war I had had enough of action and fighting so I declined the Auror position I was offered." She nodded knowledgably. Maybe she had seen some action in the war as well?

"I had decided to stay at home and do nothing, I have enough money to live three lifetimes without working," he said haughtily but was deflated by her disgusted snort. "I got bored at home," he finally continued, "so I decided to find something easy but time consuming at the Ministry."

She nodded. "I guess I can understand that."

"Compliment her!" Came a familiar hiss from behind them both. Draco turned and glared at Blaise who was dancing with another girl nearby.

Draco twirled the girl out and back along with the music (their third song together) and wracked his brain for something to say. He had never complimented anyone but himself before but judging by the way Little Red's eyes shined and slowly darkened when he didn't answer, she wanted him to compliment her.

"You're wearing a nice dress," he bit out frantically and was relieved when the wounded look vanished from her face. "Although silver and gold don't flatter you as much as another color would," he added lest she think he thought she was pretty.

"What colors would you prefer to see me in then?" she grumbled harshly as her smile from his complement vanished.

"Blue," he said instantly. "A dark blue and maybe a little white?" He looked her up and down. "Definitely," he nodded to himself. "Then you'll be stunning."

She blushed a bright red that rivaled her hair color.

"So, what's your name?" Draco asked softly just as the clock began to chime midnight.

"Oh no! Is it really that late?" she gasped. "I have to go, mum's gonna kill me." She pulled out of his arms mid twirl and rushed through the dancers, up the marble staircase and out the door before Draco could make a move to rush after her.

Draco snarled and snapped his fingers. A house elf appeared at his elbow.

"Firewhisky, now!" He collapsed into a chair and tossed back the first glass the second the house elf brought the strong drink.

"What did you do this time Draco?" Blaise said in a harsh but surprised voice.

"I don't know Blaise." Draco groaned and downed another shot. "I asked for her name, the clock chimed midnight, and she muttered something about her mother and ran off. I've never had a girl run off on me before." Another shot joined the first two.

Blaise sighed. "Maybe she had a curfew?"

"It doesn't matter," Draco hissed. "I'm going to get drunk. Care to join me?"

III

Ginny quickly thanked the attendant as she gathered her cloak and hurried over to the apparition point. Her mother had the annoying habit of checking on her around midnight and if Molly Weasley saw that her daughter was not in bed there would be hell to pay.

She appeared back in her room and slid under the covers, dress and fancy slippers included, pulled the sheet over her styled hair and was pretending to be asleep when her mother opened the door.

The door closed and her mother went off to bed. Ginny climbed out of bed and gently took off the dress and slippers. She folded them and left the clothes at the base of the magic tree, used her wand to take down her hair and remove her makeup, and climbed back into bed.

She smiled as she remembered how wonderful the night had been and how pleasant being with Malfoy had been. True he was still a rude snob, but he had his good moments. Plus, he had only danced with her even though there had been dozens of other girls pining after him the whole night.

She felt a little bad about rushing out on Malfoy like that but figured that she would never see him again so her rudeness could be ignored.

Although…she had to admit a little bit of sadness that she would never see him again. Being in his arms had felt nice, dangerous, but nice. It was a good feeling.

Ginny drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

III

Edessa swore. This was the last time she had any butter beer.

The girl was gone and the bratty boy had not fallen in love yet! Plus she had missed her chance to force them together.

Edessa huffed and settled down on the top of the chandelier. She put her head in her hands and pouted prettily at a candle. It wasn't fair.

"Sheeeee raaaaan awaaaaaay!!!"

Edessa looked down as the brat boy's voice followed by a hiccup echoed through the empty ballroom and smirked.

"Of course," she whispered to herself, "distance does make the heart grow fonder…" and smiled. All wasn't lost.

III

Two days later Ginny was back on schedule, was doing her best to forget the ball, and was working her tail off at the hospital.

"Ginny, darling," her mother called when Ginny returned home that day. "You got another of those fancy envelopes in the post. It's on the table for you to throw into the rubbish bin."

"I got another one?" Ginny asked with barely concealed surprise and eagerness in her voice. She rushed into the room, picked up the letter, and went right up to her bedroom.

_Dear Miss Weasley,_

_You are cordially invited to a ball in Mr. Draco Malfoy's honor on the twelfth of June of this happy year. Please arrive around six in formal attire. _

_Narcissa Malfoy nee Black _

Ginny couldn't hold back a squeal of excitement. They were holding another ball and there was absolutely no way she was not attending.

II

A.N. How did you all like chapter two? I'm having a lot of fun writing this so I hope yall have an equal amount of fun reading.

Thanks to all who reviewed!


	3. Chapter 3

Twisted Cinders- chapter three

By Mell8

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"Shiver and quiver, my little tree, blue and white throw down over me."

The dress that appeared this time was even more beautiful than the first. All of the cloth was a dark midnight blue color and the stitching and embroidery was white. The matching slippers were the same style.

Ginny got dressed and was gone with a soft pop.

The door to Ginny's room opened slowly and Molly Weasley poked her head in. "I knew it." She sighed. "I suppose it is her choice whether or not to go to the ball, but if she's not back by midnight I'll tan her hide!"

III

"Another one! I can't believe mother is throwing another ball! Is she really that desperate that I find a wife?" Draco moaned. He slumped forward in his chair as Blaise walked across Draco's private sitting room to join his whiny friend.

"You do know that this could be a good thing. That pretty red haired girl you've been pining after could show up again." Blaise sat in the chair across from Draco and helped himself to an apple from Draco's fruit bowl.

"You can't know that for sure! No one knows her name, not even my mother and she's the one who sent out all the invitations." Draco snatched the apple from his friend and took a bite. "This ball has half the number of girls attending as the last one. For all I know mother could have decided not to invite a girl from the country, especially if mother could not place a name to a face."

Blaise sighed and took another apple from the fruit bowl. "You never know when it comes to your mother, Draco. My guess is that Narcissa Malfoy recognized this girl the second she put a toe into this house and has decided not to tell you who she is out of pure spite."

Draco groaned. "That does sound like something mother would do."

"That's right, so buck up because your 'Little Red' will be here tonight and you need to look your best to woo our mysterious lady."

Blaise left Draco to dress in a suit that was almost identical from the previous ball. The only differences were the dark blue lapels and the white stitching.

"She had better be there tonight," Draco snarled at the house elf who was helping him slide the jacket over his shoulders. The elf trembled but kept silent as he bowed his master out the door.

III

Her dress tonight was even prettier than the one she wore at the previous ball. He had been right; dark blue was a perfect color for her. The square cut bodice with the tiny seed pearls sewn into the seam was a perfect touch as well.

Draco was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. The second he saw her red hair peek around the large doors at the top he strode up to meet her lest another bloke decide to snap her up.

"Hello," he said stiffly as he held out his arm for her to take.

She giggled and that wonderful sound rang through the hall. The musicians were waiting for him to reach the dance floor with his girl of choice before starting up the next waltz.

"Did your friend Blaise put you up to this?" She asked as they began to descend the marble staircase.

"No," Draco mumbled. He was suddenly ashamed of how quickly he had rushed over to meet her. The girl might get the wrong idea and start thinking he liked her!

She giggled again and it was music to his ears.

"Well, thank you for coming to escort me." She smiled up at him and a lock of red hair fell into her eyes. Before he could even think, his hand was there, gently brushing the silky strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thank you." She said again, softly this time. He held out his hand stiffly as an invitation to dance and she took it.

They took a drink break after the third dance. Draco got them both a glass of red wine and sat across from her at one of the small tables on the veranda.

She said a soft, "thank you" when she took the glass from him.

"Why do you keep saying thank you?" Draco asked after taking a small sip of wine. It was a fine bouquet.

The girl looked shocked. "How could I not say thank you. You did something nice for me, therefore I had to say thank you."

Draco scoffed. "As a man and as your dancing partner it is my duty to bring you something to drink. There was no need to thank me for doing that. It would be like saying thank you to a house elf or to a…to a mudblood!"

She gasped and Draco winced. He hadn't meant to swear in front of her. She probably had delicate ears and was now about to start crying because he'd offended her.

He was pleasantly surprised to find out that he was wrong.

"How dare you say something like that!" Instead of tears he was pelted with her anger. "Everyone should be treated equally, yes, even house elves and mudbloods." This time it was Draco who gasped at her language. "And if someone, no matter what their blood status or servant position, does something nice or helpful for you, you have to thank them!"

She thumped her glass down onto the table and stood angrily. Draco opened his mouth to…apologize, ask what the hell she was talking about, anything to get her to stay…but she was gone before he had the chance.

"You are an idiot." Blaise said harshly from behind him. "What did you switch sides in the war for if not to fight for those mudbloods?"

"I switched sides because I was tired of following a monster who took every available opportunity to make an attempt to kill me. You know that, Blaise."

"Still, you know you deserve this." Draco blinked and suddenly a dark hand came out of no-where and smacked him on the forehead.

Blaise brushed past him and went across the room to where the girl was sitting in a huff.

Draco groaned and tiredly rubbed his forehead with his hand. He looked down at the tablecloth as if asking it for answers and saw a growing ink stain instead. The hand he had just rubbed his forehead with was stained with ink.

"Blaise!" Draco screeched. His glared across the room and saw that Blaise was standing next to the red headed girl and was pointing towards him. At his screech they started laughing and the girl had to sit down before she fell.

Draco rushed out of the room and into a nearby bathroom.

"I'm going to kill Blaise." He said as soon as he saw himself in a mirror. Scrawled across his forehead was the smudged word, 'idiot'.

III

Edessa was in heaven. She had found the bonbons.

Oh, she knew what the chocolate would do to her figure. She also knew that someone of her size would go into sugar shock in a matter of seconds.

But none of that mattered, because she had found the bonbons!

Edessa was careful to lift her dark blue skirts out of the way before carefully stepping onto the plate holding the delicacies.

The first taste was wonderful, the second even better. By the fifth bonbon Edessa was long gone into sugar land.

III

Malfoy came back into the ballroom, scrubbed clean and clearly seething. He stalked over to where Ginny and Blaise were having a pleasant conversation and took the third chair between Blaise and the girl.

"I'm going to shave your head while you're sleeping." Malfoy growled. Ginny hid a smirk behind her hand. He sounded like one of her brothers, particularly like Bill or Charlie when they were trying to get back at the twins for one of their pranks.

Blaise gasped theatrically. "No! Not my hair. Whatever will the ladies think if I'm bald?"

"I could shave you somewhere else if you'd prefer." Draco said with a meaningful look at Blaise's groin.

"Oh Draco! I always knew you wanted me. But only if I get to touch back!" Blaise giggled girlishly and winked at Ginny before leaving. Seconds later he had a blond haired girl swooning in his arms.

Ginny laughed at his antics and laughed even more at the horrified expression that had fixed itself on Draco's face.

The clock chimed the quarter after mark and Ginny glanced up at it. "Twelve fifteen," she muttered. "Wait, shit, it's after twelve! I've got to run!" She stood from her seat in a rush and was well on her way across the hall before Draco caught up with her.

"Where are you going?" He asked as he caught her arm.

"I've got to get back home." She pulled her arm out of his grasp. "My mum will have a fit if I'm not in bed by twelve and since it's well after twelve I'm in a lot of trouble. I really have to go, bye!"

This time Draco could not catch up with her as she hurried up the stairs and out the door.

"I need a drink." Draco sighed.

"She got away again?" Blaise laughed.

"Yeah," Draco sighed. "Except this time the last thing she'll remember about this dance was you calling me gay!"

"Yup, you need a drink." Blaise chirped and steered his friend over to the bar.

III

Molly Weasley sat in her living room, knitting needles clacking. The regular clock said twelve seventeen and the special clock on the mantle said, 'out', where Ginny's hand pointed. She watched as the hand switched to 'traveling' and then continued around the clock until it settled on 'home'.

Molly heard the soft pop of apparition upstairs and scrambling sounds as her daughter rushed to get ready for bed before Molly went upstairs to check on her.

Molly smiled softly to herself. It was clear that Ginny was having a lot of fun at these balls, judging by how late she was returning; meaning that Ginny must have lost track of time because of all the fun she was having. She would give Ginny another few minutes to get ready for bed before going to check on her.

Then for the third ball, because if she knew anything about Narcissa Malfoy it was that there would definitely be another ball, Molly would have to figure out something so that her daughter could stay for the entire party.

III

"Damn it!" Edessa swore and shoved a small mountain of bonbons off herself.

Not only had she probably gained five whole ounces but she had also forgotten to work her magic on the brat and the girl.

Edessa looked down at the chocolate stains on her dress and felt like crying.

"I'm a terrible fairy," she sniffed. "All of my sisters could get buried under a mountain of chocolates and come out looking like they had just come from the spa."

She flitted into the air of the empty room and glanced around at the mess the house elves were leaving until morning to clean.

A loud snore by the bar had her flying curiously over in that direction. The dark skinned friend of that bratty boy was asleep with his head on the bar. The brat himself was staring morosely into his glass of scotch on the rocks.

"You know Blaise," the blond said softly. He wasn't nearly as drunk as he had gotten after the last ball but was buzzed enough to have not noticed that his friend was asleep.

"I think she's purposely leaving at midnight just to annoy me. I can't stop thinking about how annoying she is to have left like that again. Why couldn't she stay the entire ball?"

The blonde groaned sadly.

"I don't even know her name!" He said finally.

Edessa smirked. Her plan was working, at least a little. The boy couldn't stop thinking about the girl, which must mean something.

There was a flash of blond hair by the door and Edessa whipped around to see the brat's snobby mother smirking for the same reason Edessa was. The boy had finally found a girl who would suit him.


	4. Chapter 4

Twisted Cinders- chapter four

By Mell8

-------------

"Hello Harry," Ginny said as calmly as she could. "What are you doing here?"

"I was invited by your mum to come to the family dinner tonight." Harry said as he pushed past her to enter the Burrow. "Ron and Hermione are just behind me. They needed a few extra seconds to get their kids ready. I decided to go on ahead."

Ginny turned and walked haughtily back to the kitchen without acknowledging that he was still trying to talk with her.

"Ginny, we really need to have a talk. I know we're still together but we never go on dates or anything."

Ginny froze in the doorway and counted to ten. She counted again for good measure and then to twenty because she felt she had to, before slowly turning her head and piercing him with a hard, angry glare.

"You are a bastard Harry. A bloody bastard!" She was seething mad and Harry took a quick step away from her before she gave him bodily harm.

"You broke up with me after your sixth year ended at Hogwarts. I was able to move on and have other relationships; you already know all of this so stop shaking your head like that! When the war ended we got back together and I realized that you weren't the perfect, infallible godlike being I had imagined you to be."

"But Ginny, I thought-" Harry began but was sharply cut off by Ginny.

"It doesn't matter what you thought or think, Harry. All that matters is that I left. I returned that ugly engagement ring you gave me, and yes, Harry, it was unbelievably ugly, and moved back home. I can't believe that you would still think we were together; it's been five years!"

She slammed her way into the kitchen muttering, "stupid blighter," over and over again under her breath. Harry just stood out in the entryway, stunned, until Hermione and Ron arrived and woke him from his shocked stupor.

III

Dinner that night was a stressed affair. Ginny had to sit next to Harry but was giving him the cold shoulder, much to the rest of the families' confusion. Ron and Hermione had to rush home when their youngest child had gotten sick all over the sofa. Fred and George had sent their apologies along with a package of dragon dung for Percy.

Percy sat at the other end of the table and seemed to be playing the silent game since he wasn't talking at all. Bill and Fleur were also sitting across from Ginny and Harry. Their children had been left at home with a sitter. They spoke quietly to themselves in French or to Arthur and Molly in hushed tones.

Molly was just bringing out desert, a huge chocolate cake, when the eagle owl arrived. It landed in front of Ginny and held out a leg. Tied to it was another invitation!

Ginny gasped happily and quickly took the envelope from the owl.

"Dear Miss Weasley,

"You are cordially invited to attend a ball on the nineteenth of June of this happy year. Please arrive around six in formal attire.

"Narcissa Malfoy nee Black," Ginny read the invitation to herself, eagerly devouring the words.

"I'm going up to my room," she murmured absentmindedly to her mother. She stood from the table with a small smile on her face and seemed to float up the stairs as she hummed a waltz.

Molly knocked on her daughter's bedroom door later that night.

"Ginny," she said as she let herself in. "I just wanted to tell you that on the nineteenth your father and I are going to be staying with Ron and Hermione. You'll have the house to yourself and will have to find dinner yourself too."

Ginny looked up from the invitation she was gently holding in her hands quietly thanking the world for her amazing luck.

"Thanks mum. I'm sure I'll find something to occupy my time." Ginny smiled softly and Molly knew that her daughter was in love with the boy she had met at the ball.

"I'm sure you will dear. Goodnight." Molly stepped out of her room and sighed happily. After that messy breakup with Harry she had been worried that her baby girl would never find someone to love, but now she knew that there was no cause for worry. Ginny was in love, even if she herself didn't know it yet, and Molly would do everything in her powers to make sure that her daughter was loved in return, including owl Narcissa Malfoy for information.

Molly went to find ink and some parchment. She had a letter to write and plans to make and it all had to be done before the nineteenth.

III

Ginny sighed happily. Another ball, another chance to laugh with Blaise, and most importantly, another chance to belittle Draco Malfoy to his face.

"But what colors should I choose to wear this time?" She said to herself. Ginny turned around in her mirror, imagining herself in different colors.

"I should wear something daring; something a Weasley would never wear…" Ginny held out her arms in a waltz position and spun around the room with an imaginary partner who had blond hair and grey eyes.

"I should wear Slytherin colors. I look good in green and black. With an emerald necklace and…and a tiara, if the tree can do jewelry too…" Ginny glanced at the hazel tree with a little apprehension.

"Two days," she murmured. "How am I supposed to wait two whole days until the ball?" She flopped down onto her bed and sighed happily. "Two days."

III

"Two days, I've got two days to figure out how to force those two to fall in love." Edessa paced back and forth across the handrail of the large marble stairs in the ballroom. Her long magenta skirts rustled loudly as she walked.

"This has to be true love so I can't use a love spell. Oh, I just don't know! Maybe something will happen during the ball that will tip me off." She sat down and swung her legs back and forth into space. "This time there will not be any alcoholic drinks or chocolates. I will not allow myself to be distracted." She thumped a fist into her palm. "This is my last chance and I will make it count."

III

"Shiver and quiver, my little tree, green and black throw down over me."

The third dress was the prettiest of them all. It had a corset style top in green with black lace accentuating her chest and tiny waist. Flowing green skirts completed the dress with more black lace on the hem. The tree had given her the usual shoes and jewelry as well. It had given Ginny a black choker with and emerald in the middle and a purposefully tarnished silver tiara, that appeared to be black because of the tarnish, with more emeralds.

Ginny quickly did up her hair in a style that flattered the tiara and rushed to get her cloak. She was running over an hour late. It had taken a while to help get her parents over to Ron and Hermione's and Ginny had to stay for an afternoon snack. She was finally able to make her excuses around when the ball had begun.

Ginny knew that she could have thrown on the dress and left and only been about five minutes late, but she hadn't wanted to show up looking and smelling a mess so had taken her time in the shower.

Ginny buttoned her cloak and was gone with a small pop.

III

"Look he's sitting all alone. I should ask him to dance!"

"I guess that girl he's been spending time with abandoned him."

"Maybe he'll dance with me!"

Draco groaned and ignored the girls crowding around on the edge of the dance floor giving him doe eyes.

Why hadn't Little Red shown up? He had waited at the bottom of the marble stairs for twenty minutes, looking like a fool the entire time, before stomping off to sulk in the corner he was now sitting in.

"Wow! You do the moody but sexy look very well Draco." Blaise took the seat across from him with a smirk.

Draco sighed morosely. "What do you want Blaise?" He asked with a groan.

"I'm just trying to cheer you up mate!" Blaise shrugged. "Anyway it doesn't seem like our mystery girl is coming. Why don't you pick one of those drooling girls and go sow your wild oats for a hour, if you know what I mean." Blaise lifted an eyebrow and leered meaningfully at Draco. "Obliviate the girl and come back here. No one has to know."

Draco dropped his head in his hands with an exasperated sigh. "I really hope you're using a contraceptive charm Blaise or one of those girls you've "sown your wild oats" with is going to be pregnant without a clue how that happened."

Blaise gasped. "Draco, I would never sink to your level and make a girl forget she had sex with me. Honestly, where do you get these wild ideas from?" Blaise stood up and towered over his friend. "Besides," he winked. "A memory charm isn't strong enough to make a girl forget about an hour spent with me." Blaise laughed and walked off leaving behind an aggravated Draco.

"Oh no, she's here. Now I'll have no chance with him!"

Draco heard the sobs from his admirers and his head shot up from the table. She was just gliding to the dance floor after traversing the entire staircase herself.

And… "Damn bastard!" Draco swore. Blaise was waiting for her at the bottom. As Draco watched, Blaise turned his head to look at Draco and waggled his fingers at the blond behind his back where the girl couldn't see.

Draco stood and nearly sprinted across the room.

"Of course I'll dance with you," she finished saying the second before Draco arrived at her side.

"Hello," Draco growled but his glare was all for Blaise.

She looked up at him and watched as his angry expression melted as he looked down at her.

"Hello," she answered back with a smile. "I'm just going to dance with Blaise once, as friends. Then we can dance as many times as you like."

Draco struggled with himself to do the courteous thing and let her dance once with another man. He finally managed a stiff nod and left to find a table as the dance started.

His chair faced the dance floor and his head unconsciously swiveled to follow this friend and the girl as they moved around in slow circles.

Draco snarled when Blaise leaned in to whisper in her ear and when he held her too close after one of the more difficult spins. And he watched as her smile grew the longer Blaise ran his mouth.

"That's it." Draco hissed. "I'm brewing an impotency potion and am force feeding it to Blaise."

After an agonizingly long time the dance ended and Blaise walked her over to where Draco was waiting.

"She's all yours mate." Blaise smiled cheekily and reached up to ruffle his friend's hair. Draco brushed him off angrily and gently pulled the girl back onto the dance floor.

"I hope Blaise wasn't too terrible," Draco twirled her once and pulled her back into his arms.

She giggled and Draco basked in that wonderful sound. "He spent the entire dance explaining in detail why he thought you were gay."

Draco hissed. "That's it. The impotency potion's going to be a permanent one now!"

She laughed. "Oh, don't. I thought it made you sound cute." She laughed again when his cheeks tinged red. "Although I do have to admit that it isn't exactly normal for a man to spend hours on his hair."

"And maybe the potion should make him shrink too." Draco added under his breath.

"Stop," she said in a hard, commanding voice that straightened Draco's spine. "He was only being funny. There's no need for you to hurt him like that and if I find out that you do give him that potion I'll be very angry."

Her eyes showed strength that Draco had found to be uncommon in most girls but made her even more endearing to him. She would never trail after him because of his money or his looks. She would never make him uncomfortable with doe eyes filled with lust for things he wasn't willing to give. He had already found that she had a sharp tongue and wasn't afraid to speak her mind or to put him in his place.

In short, she would never let him become his father. He could be Draco around her rather than Lucius's son.

"Alright," he conceded. "I'll be nice."

"Good." She smiled and led him off the dance floor. "Will you go get me a drink please?"

He was back in a few seconds with a glass of white wine.

"Thank you," she said pointedly.

"You're welcome." He shot back and was gratified to see her smile grow.

They sat in comfortable silence and sipped their drinks while watching Blaise try and fail to fend off a flock of girls.

"You look very good in your dress." Draco said when she had finished her wine. "Green and black are very good colors for you."

Her face turned the same color as her hair making Draco chuckle.

"I'm serious." He said solemnly. "You are gorgeous and that dress accentuates your beauty."

"Thank you." She said softly.

III

Edessa watched them interact with a small smile on her face.

As the night wore on they danced for a few more songs, stopped for a quick snack and another drink, danced again, and harassed that Blaise boy.

Midnight chimed and went by as the hours on the clock faded towards dawn.

There was nothing she could do that would make their already budding relationship any stronger but she would continue to watch and wait to see if an opportunity arose.

III

The ball was winding down and Ginny had to admit that her feet were a little sore from all the dancing she had done. But that was okay because she had had an amazing time with Draco.

The clock sounded four times as the musicians finished their last song. Draco continued to sway with her out on the dance floor while the instruments were packed up and the remaining partygoers began to leave.

He slowly bent closer and Ginny raised up on her toes to meet him. Their lips met in an explosive kiss that sent Ginny's mind reeling. He broke away and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Stay with me tonight?" He whispered into her hair. He bent down and nuzzled her ear.

Ginny snapped back into focus. Stay with him? He was clearly asking for much more than Ginny was willing to give.

"Draco," she said regretfully as she pulled away from his intimate embrace. "I can't…I'm not." She grimaced as she stumbled over her words.

His grey eyes shuttered behind lids as he pulled away in confusion.

Ginny scrambled for the right thing to say. "It's not that I don't like you." She said quickly, "because I do. I really do." She was blushing at this point.

"But I barely know you. Three balls are not enough time to get to know someone, I mean really get to know someone."

Draco nodded slowly.

"If we spent some more time together, went on dates, and really began to learn about each other, then…" But she stopped quickly as her cheeks flamed up even more.

Merlin, she was speaking about eventualities when she would sleep with Draco Malfoy! She held her hands up to her burning cheeks and took a quick step away from the man in front of her.

"I need to go," she whispered. She shot off like a rocket but this time Draco wasn't going to let her get away without a good explanation. He was hot on her heels as she rushed up the stairs and out into the entrance hall. She was fast, much faster than a girl should be able to run in a dress, but embarrassment lent wings to her feet.

She was out of the mansion and heading towards the apparition point when she thought she saw a pair of tiny wings and her slipper came loose from her left foot. She stumbled and felt her skirts slip through Draco's fingers so did not stop to pick up her discarded shoe.

She was gone with a soft pop leaving behind a panting Draco and one green and black slipper.

III

"Molly, you've got an owl." Arthur said that morning at breakfast. "And a package."

"Oh!" Molly stood and collected the letter and package from the majestic owl before retreating to Ron's study.

In the package was a black dress cloak and the letter was from Narcissa Malfoy.

"Dear Molly Weasley,

"Thank you for your letter. You were correct in your assumptions that your daughter has met a boy at the ball. My son has become quite infatuated with her and I believe that she returns that sentiment. Oddly enough, it seems that she has withheld her name from Draco and has effectively slipped from his grasp. I must commend your daughter on standing her ground against my son and putting him in his place more than once.

"It is my strong belief that they are perfect for each other, especially in personality, and I would urge you to put aside our past differences in order to allow our children to love. Please read the morning post for more details regarding our children's relationship.

"Narcissa Malfoy nee Black

"P.S. The cloak belongs to your daughter. She accidentally left it behind last night."

Molly sank back into a chair with a hand to her heart and tears in her eyes.

"Of course." She whispered. "If they truly love each other I won't ever get in their way."

III

_**Wanted! Malfoy heir on the search for his beautiful date!**_

"_She's a beautiful girl with long red hair, big brown eyes, full pink lips, and tons of freckles. She's short, only about five feet, skinny, and very shapely. And she's the most gorgeous girl I've ever laid eyes on." Mr. Malfoy describes his missing date and says that over the next few days he will be stopping by every household an invitation was sent to. _

"_My only clue to her identity is this green slipper. I'm looking for a girl who fits my description and also has feet that are small enough to fit into this slipper." _

_You have been warned! If you attended the ball last night expect Mr. Malfoy to appear on your doorstep in the near future. _

"Shit." Blaise slowly put the paper down and banged his head on the table.

"Red hair, freckles… How did I not see it before? How can Draco not see it now?" He slowly leaned back in his chair and groaned. "She's a Weasley, Ginevra Weasley."

"Oh good! You've finally figured it out." Narcissa Malfoy swept into the dining room with a smile on her face. "You'll be accompanying Draco on his journey," she began and pierced him with a hard look. "I expect him to find Ginevra Weasley instead of some bimbo who is good a pretending. If he comes home with anyone aside from Miss Weasley you will pay."

Blaise gulped but nodded since saying no to this woman was even more dangerous than saying no to her son.

Narcissa swept back out of the room and Blaise banged his head on the table again. Weasley started with a 'W' and that was at the very end of the alphabet. Unless he could convince Draco to start with the end and work in the other direction, they would be at this for days.


	5. Chapter 5

Twisted Cinders- chapter five

By Mell8

----------------

"NO I have red hair normally, honest! I just had a bad turn with a potion the other night. That's why my hair is black, really."

Draco snarled and detangled himself from another girl. Every house he went to he only found clingy girls and excuses as to why they didn't look like Little Red or why their feet were fucking huge.

He'd already had to rescue the poor slipper from a number of girls who had tried to squirrel it away and switch it with one of their own. And there had been that one girl who had threatened the slipper with a knife if he didn't agree to marry her on the spot.

"Alright that finishes off all the K's." Blaise said with a sigh. "Are you ready to call it a day or do you want to start on the L's?"

Draco moaned and looked up at his friend with a hopeless look on his face. "It's been two days Blaise. Two long days of searching and we haven't found her yet. I'm never going to find her."

Blaise sighed. "Yeah, lets stop here for today. Come on, I need laced coffee and you need sleep."

"Maybe we should just give up." Draco said sadly.

"Draco! What if she's sitting in her window, watching and waiting for you to arrive? You could break her heart if you give up!"

"You're right," Draco stood and smiled softly. "She could be waiting right now. We have to hurry Blaise. Who's next on the list?"

Draco strode off down the driveway and Blaise groaned and stood to follow his friend.

Hours later Blaise stumbled into the entryway of Malfoy Manor and collapsed on the hard marble floor.

"I can't," he moaned. "I need sleep." He pillowed his head on his arms and closed his eyes.

"Where is my son?" Narcissa Malfoy asked. Her ominous shadow covered the slumbering boy.

"'e's still lookin'," Blaise mumbled through sleep stiffened lips.

"You will catch up with him when you wake." She sniffed and allowed a house elf to cover the man with a blanket.

"Yes'm." Blaise yawned and fell back to sleep.

Draco finished the last names that started with 'L' around dawn. He was so exhausted that he couldn't see straight but that wasn't going to stop him.

He walked up the drive to the Mairianger household and was greeted by a house elf at the door.

"Please inform all the maidens of the house that they are to come down to meet with me at once." Draco said even though he was swaying on his feet. The lady of the house rushed to the door moments later.

"Come," she said kindly. "Take a seat, I'll make some tea."

Draco took the seat but wasn't daft enough to drink the tea. He had dealt with enough love potions over the past few days to know the consequences of that. But he still nearly fell asleep in the comfortable chair and was blinking himself blearily awake when a pretty red headed woman walked into the room.

She didn't speak and Draco was too busy fumbling for the slipper to notice her mother cautioning her to keep her mouth shut.

"Please try on this slipper. If it fits your foot I will bring you home to meet my mother." Draco intoned the practiced speech Blaise had told him to learn and handed over the green and black slipper.

The mother took the shoe and helped her daughter slip it on while Draco yawned and rubbed his eyes.

The mother looked furtively over at the half slumbering man and leaned to whisper in her daughter's ear.

"Your toe is too big for the shoe!" She hissed into the hastily done dye job. "I'm going to cut it off."

The girl gasped. "But mother!"

"No buts. Once you're married you can go to the hospital and get a potion to re-grow it. Besides, once you're a Malfoy you won't have any need to walk around."

"True," the girl sighed. "Just do it mother; quickly before he wakes."

She swallowed her cry of pain and forced her maimed foot into the shoe.

"It fits!" The mother crowed waking Draco from the light slumber he had fallen into. He rubbed the sand from his eyes and glanced down at a foot that was fully encased in the shoe.

"Very well," he said slowly. "As promised I will take you to meet my mother."

The girl squealed in happiness and Draco fought the urge to clutch his head in pain.

He stood and offered his arm to the girl. They walked out of the front door and were heading to the apparition point.

Draco yawned again and thought he heard-

"Turn and peep, turn and peep, there's blood within the shoe. The shoe, it is too small for her. The true bride waits for you."

Draco groaned and rubbed his head. Now he was so tired that he was hearing voices? But the voice did have a good point…

He glanced down and saw that the girl was favoring her left, slipper clad foot.

"Take off the shoe please," he said coldly.

The girl stiffened and sighed sadly. She took off the shoe and Draco quickly snatched it from her. Her big toe had been cut off and had bled everywhere.

"Go to St. Mungo's, whore." He snarled before dropping her arm and leaving her in the driveway. He used his wand to scourgify the slipper and, once he was satisfied that all the horrible blood had been removed, left to go to the next household.

III

Edessa put a hand to her fast-beating heart and exhaled in relief. He had almost chosen the wrong girl!

It was lucky that she had finally caught up to him and it was even luckier that he had heard and believed her little poem.

If he hadn't—well she didn't want to be around when his mother found out.

Edessa settled on a fence post and groaned. That boy needed to sleep or he would make another mistake. Or better yet, that Blaise boy had better make a re-appearance. He would watch out for his friend.

Until then it was Edessa's job to make sure that the boy didn't choose wrongly again.

With a sigh she stood, dusted off her skirts, and took to the air.

"Stupid bratty boy," she hissed as she flew off. "Making me do all the dirty work."

III

He wasn't coming. That much Ginny had decided on.

Two days of waiting was understandable. Three days meant that maybe Draco was having a little trouble finding her. But five days?

Ginny sighed sadly and gazed out the window over the front drive.

Five days meant that she should be looking in the paper for the wedding announcement between Draco and a red headed, dye job, wench.

With a snarl she pulled herself from the window and away from all her hopes and dreams.

"He won't be coming for me," she sniffed quietly. "So I might as well resign myself to becoming an old maid."

She drifted aimlessly out into the garden and sank onto the bench.

"I shouldn't have refused him, that last night," she mumbled under her breath. "Now he probably hates me. He'd rather be with a girl who will spread her legs at his every whim." A tear fell, followed by another. Ginny irritably wiped them away and glared into the sun to stop any more from falling.

She failed miserably and soon found herself sobbing uncontrollably into her arms.

Molly Weasley watched her daughter walk out of the house and into the garden with a heart broken look in her eyes.

Her baby was in love and the boy had abandoned her, or so Ginny thought. Molly clutched a letter from Narcissa in her hand.

"Draco's been hunting day and night, without sleep, searching for her. Don't let her give up and find someone else."

Molly laughed. Her poor baby wasn't looking for someone else, she was going to abandon men altogether if Draco didn't show up. And the boy would show up eventually because his mother would make him.

If only Ginny knew that.

III

"That's it!" Draco snarled. "I'm giving up!"

"What?" Blaise gasped as he followed his friend into the Malfoy Manor. "You can't give up, you're so close!"

But Draco ignored him. "Did you see that last girl? She fucking shaved off her heel in order to get her foot into the slipper. If it wasn't for that bloody rhyme that ran though my head she'd be here right now getting her entire foot torn off by my mother."

Blaise ignored the bit about the rhyme. Draco was more than tired enough to be hearing voices and if the voices were warning him away from choosing the wrong girl, then Blaise wasn't about to try and get rid of them.

Draco stomped out onto the veranda; pulled back his foot, and aimed for the nearest flowerpot. His foot froze mid-strike as dulcet tones slid through his memory.

"_I've heard from a first hand source that you throw vases and purposely knock over flowerpots when you're angry. It's a horrid habit." _

"Horrid habit my buttocks," Draco hissed but he left the flower alone.

Blaise sighed tiredly behind him and Draco winced. He had been working his friend to the bone these past couple days. Draco had been happy to go without rest and food but Blaise wasn't the one searching for his true love and should have been at home living his own life instead of trailing after his sorry arse.

"_And if someone, no matter what their blood status or servant position, does something nice or helpful for you, you have to thank them!" _

"Damn it." Draco sighed. She was right; he had to thank Blaise. Draco kept walking aimlessly and allowed her memory to wash away his surroundings.

"_If we spent some more time together, went on dates, and really began to learn about each other, then…" _

But that was when she had left because he had asked her for something she wasn't ready to give. If he had asked to see her the next day, maybe to meet at a restaurant for a proper date, then he would not be going through this horrible search right now.

"Come on Draco, let's just go to one more home. Then we can stop, I promise." Blaise gently put his hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Alright," Draco sighed. "One more house. But first we're going to make a stop at Diagon Alley." Draco strode off towards the apparition point.

"Oh, and thanks for everything, Blaise." He added over his shoulder.

Blaise stood where he was, mouth open in shock. Had Draco Malfoy just thanked him?

"You see how good she is for him?" Narcissa asked. "This one other house you're going to will be the Weasley's correct?"

Blaise shut his mouth with a snap and nodded once before rushing off to catch up with his friend.

III

Molly Weasley gasped as a small bit of parchment popped out of the kitchen fire and floated into her hand.

There were two words written: _He's coming_.

III

Draco stepped up next to his friend and hissed. "What are we doing here, Blaise? This is the Weasley's house. We've skipped S, T, U, and V."

Blaise nodded but kept walking.

"Besides, she can't be a Weasley, right? How would a Weasley get such pretty dresses?"

Blaise ignored him and knocked politely on the front door.

It was opened by the Weasley matriarch, who scowled and said, "it's taken you long enough." Before letting them in. She led them to the sitting room before leaving to go get her daughter.

There was a loud squeal of children as the back door was opened and Draco stood when he heard her.

"No, you don't throw them towards the house. The gnomes go over the fence!"

Draco knew it was her. The voice was a perfect match to when she had sounded irritable but compassionate with him at the dance.

"Ginny, dear. Come inside. You've got guests." Mrs. Weasley called out the door.

She appeared moments later, breathless and slightly dirty from playing with her nieces and nephews, but still as beautiful as he remembered.

"Draco!" She gasped and stopped short in the doorway.

"Hello, Ginny." He said softly.

"You came." She whispered and slowly walked into the room.

"Of course I came. Did you think I wouldn't find you?"

By her blush he knew that she had been worried about just that.

Draco smiled and brushed a hand tenderly over her cheek before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small ring box.

She pulled away and shook her head. "Draco," she said in a warning tone.

He just smirked and opened the box. "It's a promise ring."

He took the ring out and slipped it onto her finger.

"It means that we're together, dating, until you're ready for more. I can wait." Draco held her hand in his and gently stroked her knuckles with a callused thumb.

"Oh, Draco." She sighed and smiled happily. "If that's your convoluted way of asking me on a date then I have to accept." She pecked him on the lips before pulling him over to go poke Blaise who had fallen asleep on the couch.

III

Edessa crowed with happiness and did a little jig in the air. Finally something had gone right!

She swooped out of the way of an old cat with a squashed face and perched on the magical clock on the mantle.

Now the boy would never ruin another of her dresses in a fit of anger, his girlfriend wouldn't let him!

And maybe now that she didn't have to worry about looking after the welfare of her clothing all the time she could go out to look for a he-fairy of her own.

She giggled at that happy thought, jumped into the air, and went off on her own quest, satisfied that she had done something good for these two people.

III

Narcissa Malfoy sat down across from Blaise Zabini at the breakfast table with a sly smile on her face.

"My son has a beautiful girlfriend whom I expect will accept his marriage proposal before the year is out. But you, dear boy, are still all alone and that just will not do."

Blaise looked up at her with wide, fear filled eyes. She wasn't asking what he thought she was asking, right?

"I will be holding a ball, here at Malfoy Manor, on your birthday. All the beautiful pure-blooded women will be invited and you are expected to find a suitable bride for yourself."

Blaise backed slowly away from the table, wondering where he could hide from this demon woman before it was too late.

"Oh no," he gulped. "Help?"

THE END

III

A.N. Yes, I will be writing an epilogue. No I will not be writing a sequel nor will I write a companion fic for the balls held for Blaise.

I am, however, looking for a suitable character for Blaise to pair up with. Remembering that Pansy is dead—does anyone have any good suggestions?

Thanks to all who have reviewed so far. I'm glad that you've enjoyed my little sample of Cinderella.

Thanks,

Mell8


	6. Epilogue

Twisted Cinders- epilogue

By Mell8

---------------

"Shiver and quiver, my little tree, wedding day white throw down over me."

III

Molly Weasley watched as her husband led her baby girl down the isle with tears in her eyes. Draco Malfoy stood, waiting and white faced with nerves, and held out a shaking hand to take Ginny's when Arthur handed her over.

"We are gathered here today to merge two of the oldest bloodlines in happy marriage. If any wish to gainsay this union speak now or forever hold your peace."

Molly glanced over at her youngest son and saw that Hermione was forcibly holding Ron's mouth shut.

She couldn't stop the giggle that flowed out of her mouth when she remembered the day Ginny had brought Draco to his first family dinner…

"Mum, are you sure it's a good idea to have Draco here without telling anyone first?" Ginny wrung her hands apprehensively as she paced across the kitchen.

"Yes, dear. I'm sure it will be fine." Molly answered back calmly. "Draco," she turned to the man sitting at her kitchen table, "you will behave yourself too. I won't have you giving anyone a reason to want to hex you!"

"Of course, Mrs. Weasley." Draco answered smoothly.

"Hey Mum! You're making chicken tonight?" Ron's voice rang from the front door.

"Grandma! Grandma!" Two red headed boys flew into the room to hug Molly.

"Who's that?" Came a voice from the doorway.

"Hello dear! Where's Bill?" Molly said as she bustled over to give her only blonde haired grandchild a hug.

"He and mummy are in the doorway. Uncles Gred and Forge are here too!" The willowy blonde girl said as she strolled into the room.

"Who's that?" She repeated and pointed at Draco.

"Malfoy!" Ron hissed. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?" He stomped into the room and hovered over Draco in his most menacing manner.

"Bloody hell!" One of the boys chirped.

"Don't you start!" Hermione called from the doorway. "Ron, how could you swear in front of our children?"

"And don't threaten my boyfriend!" Ginny added angrily.

Draco couldn't keep the smirk back as Ron's face went bright red.

"Ron," Molly called. "Go find your nephews and your brothers. The garden needs de-gnoming."

"But Mum. It's a Malfoy! " Ron whined.

"Yes, he is a Malfoy, Ron. How did you ever guess his secret identity?" Fred said from the doorway.

"Keen observational skills there, Ronnikins." George smirked.

"Hello, the door was open so we let ourselves in." Blaise poked his head around the twins and smiled.

"Hello, Blaise!" Molly said happily. "Where's your girlfriend?"

"Ah, you know Luna." He smiled dreamily. "She's searching your backyard for hickory-puff-snout-noses. You're infested."

"Oh that's terrible," Draco drawled sarcastically.

"You're just sad that I'm taken," Blaise said with an outrageous wink. "Sorry mate but you really have to stop sneaking into my bed at night. Now that I have Luna I can't indulge on your fantasies."

"Wait, Ginny you're dating a gay man?" Ron gasped and sank into a kitchen chair.

Ginny started laughing with Blaise while Draco groaned and hid his face in his hands.

"Oh yes," Blaise said through his laughter. "Every night he comes in and cuddles with me. You want to know what he moans?" Blaise asked evilly over Draco's snarl.

"I'm sure they do," Luna breezed into the room and pecked Blaise on the cheek. "Otherwise the nargles will eat their brains."

Blaise nodded solemnly at Luna. "He curls up next to me and moans, "Ginny, Oh Ginny," all night long! A bloke can't get any sleep with all that racket gong on."

Ron almost killed Draco, Hermione had to dive to stop her sons from joining in, Ginny and Blaise were laughing together by the door, and Gred and Forge were gleefully pulling out the prank that would turn Draco's hair purple.

Molly Weasley just smiled happily by the sink and used her wand to separate Ron and Draco with practiced ease. It was nice to have mayhem and murder attempts in the Weasley house again. Things had been too quiet of late.

…"Do you, Draco Lucius Malfoy, take this woman as your wife, through sickness and health"…

Molly remembered the day Draco was planning on proposing to Ginny. He had shown up one night when he knew Ginny had the late shift at the hospital. He had asked to speak with Arthur and had gone white faced with nerves.

"Oh course Draco." Arthur said gently. "What do you want to ask me about?"

"I-" he gulped and took a deep, steadying breath, "I would like to ask for your permission to marry your daughter." He said quickly and then held his breath as he waited for an answer.

Arthur had smiled gently. "You have my permission, Draco, as long as you promise to take good care of her for the rest of your life."

The light from the sun paled in comparison to Draco's smile. "I promise!"

…"Do you, Ginevra Molly Weasley, take this man as your husband, through richer and poorer"…

Ginny had returned home after going out to dinner with Draco with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. She held out her hand proudly as he mother bustled over.

The ring was beautiful; a silver band with a large diamond in the middle. Smaller rubies and emeralds surrounded the rock. It looked perfect on Ginny's finger.

"Mum, I love him so much." Ginny whispered.

"Then we will have to hold the wedding as soon as possible!" Molly said happily, plans already running through her head.

"Wedding?" Ron stood from where he was playing chess with Harry. "You can't mean…"

Ginny's smile confirmed it.

"Malfoy, you're marrying a Malfoy." Ron sank into his seat and shook his head in disbelief.

Harry just sat there, opened mouthed.

"You know," Harry said musingly. "That ring I gave you really was ugly wasn't it."

Ginny laughed. "Especially when you compare it to this one." She proudly flashed her ringed finger around the room.

Harry laughed. "Congratulations, Ginny."

"But…but…" Ron stuttered.

Molly led her baby girl out of the room. "Don't worry about Ron," she said to her happy daughter. "He'll come around eventually. And if he doesn't I'll force him to."

Ginny just smiled.

Who knew that an angry fairy, a couple of balls, and a search with a lost slipper could lead to true love?

…"I do!"

III

Edessa watched the wedding with a smile on her face. She fluffed her white dress and smiled over at the tall fairy standing next to her.

"You brought them together!" He asked with an awed note in his voice. "You matched up true love!"

Edessa nodded and he smiled.

"You want to go get some champagne at the reception with me?" She asked with a coy smile.

"Anything for you my lady," he bowed and gently took her hand as they flew after the happily married couple.

Love, she thought happily, is a wonderful thing.

II

A.N. That's all! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, especially while the site is on the fritz. Like I said last chapter, this is it. I will not write anything for Blaise and Luna nor will I write a sequel so please don't ask.

Have a happy Passover and Easter (although I know it's a little early for that).

Thanks again,

Mell8


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